Culture (and price) shock when returning home (to America)

Post by **BigBubba** » April 21, 2015, 9:50 pm

I've had several comments to posts I've made on FB so I decided there might be more interest from people who have been in Thailand many years without returning home. I posted a photo of my lunch bill at LAX during a 5 hour layover on my trip home. My bacon cheeseburger with fries was $12 along with a $3 soft drink plus tax bringing the total to over $16. Yes, I know you always pay a premium for airport food but sometimes you don't have any choice and this seems to me considerably higher than I was paying 5 years ago.

But here are a couple other recent experiences:

On a trip to Walmart's grocery section I picked up a pound of Jimmy Dean sausage, $3.98, a pack of Johnsonville Hot Italian sausages, $4.78, a 1.5lb pack of pepper bacon, $6.96, and a six pack of Sam Adams lager, $7.47.

On another trip I forced my friend to turn into a Pop Eye's fast food place. For those who don't know this nationwide chain is based out of New Orleans and features spicy chicken and cajun side dishes. I had to satisfy my craving for red beans and rice. So I got a large order of that, a small order of mac and cheese just to make sure I was topped out on carbs, and a large soft drink... total $8.45.

More to follow...

Post by **farlong68** » April 21, 2015, 11:28 pm

hi bubba glad to see you survived the trip sticker
shock is everywhere but us government gives us 2percent increase go figure..come on down fla panhandle and we will go fishing how bout redfish fried okra and a side of all you can eat boiled shrimp from the bay....let the good times roll john and lek scoggins on blue bayou

Post by **parrot** » April 22, 2015, 2:10 am

I try to apply the same way of thinking about culture/price shock when I return to the US (most every year for the past

to culture/price shock when I return to Thailand.

I don't get bent out of shape when I go to Villas and see a bag of Doritos for 130 Baht and I don't get bent out of shape when I go to an oriental store in the US and pay dearly for a sprig of Thai veggies/herbs.

I enjoy paying only $2.19 a gallon for regular gas, but cringe when it's time to have any service done on a car in the US.

I remember walking out of Bubbas after a burger, fries, coke, and root beer float for about 250 Baht.....thinking I could have had a bowl of noodle soup and drink for 70 (I wasn't complaining, mind you!). I just walked out of Fuddruckers with our son-in-law.....two 1/3 pound burgers, fries, cokes.....$20. I'm not complaining either.

I enjoy driving the roads in the US......but find myself driving less defensively knowing I don't have to worry about a vehicle driving the opposite direction in my lane.

MTF

Post by **rct** » April 22, 2015, 4:40 am

Am just back after a one month family trip in the US, put 3000 miles on a Chevy Tahoe SUV one way rental (the gorgeous beast had under 300 miles on it when I picked it up at LAX) and then final week with a minivan to accommodate the outlet mall and other loot my wife picked up. Outlet malls give price shocks the other way,such great deals compared to Thailand.

Eating out across the US sometimes but not always gave sticker shock, even at little Asian noodle joints that my wife wanted to visit seemed like we were paying $8-9 for a noodle bowl that just a couple years ago would have been $6.50.

The flip side, eat American!

Cheddar's has $15 steak or $10 salmon with two large sides, amazing value given quality and portion sizes. They do a $5 chocolate cake with ice cream, we two adults and two children could not finish one portion, it was so large.
http://www.cheddars.com/menu/190366-edcsk-2_2-2_15/

In Snow Mass Village we 5 adults and 2 children shared one large pizza and a salad and we could barely finish it the portions were so large, mind you the craft beers probably also filled us up. It is a locals' joint.
http://www.tasterspizza.com/

Back to Udon, Wine House just opened opposite Faroh / Wine Secret. Thursdays they had 40% off the Wagyu steaks, and I must say, knocking 40% off 750 baht made it a nice deal, I hope this place thrives.

A decent steak in Bangkok will set you back, check out prices here and the price is just for the slab or meat, sides are extra:
http://elgaucho.asia/thailand/?page_id=2

To sum up, I did not lose any weight in the US due to sticker shock.

Post by **parrot** » April 22, 2015, 8:40 am

Although the article at the attachment is geared toward overseas travelers, the same ideas apply to travelers in the US. The Charles Schwab cash card is a good deal...... In the US and overseas.
As good or better is the Pentagon Federal Credit Union debit cards that allow fee-free cash witbdrawals at 40,000 locations in the US...... Or the PFCU Defender Visa or Amex cards that are fee-free and offer1.5%cash back on all purchases.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/tr ... ?referrer=

Post by **parrot** » April 23, 2015, 9:32 am

My wife, daughter, and I had a nice meal tonight in Houston....admittedly at a nice restaurant in a nice neighborhood with excellent food. A fairly typical bill if you're eating out......don't forget to add in a tip.

Post by TJ » April 24, 2015, 12:00 am

Shocked? I doubt that. Perhaps irritated, if comparing food prices with what they have known in Thailand. But most understand reality; that taxes and regulations have driven the high cost of food and other back home. It is what it is.

Post by **BigBubba** » April 28, 2015, 8:17 am

Breakfast at "La Petite Cafe", Glendale,AZ.

And one of the pleasures of being home... stores that sell coffee mugs with my name on it... had to buy one!